


Look Ahead - CHANBAEK

by bbobohuhu



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: BaekYeol - Freeform, Baekhyun - Freeform, ChanBaek - Freeform, Chanyeol - Freeform, EXO - Freeform, M/M, apocalypseau, scifi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-08
Updated: 2019-01-08
Packaged: 2019-10-06 22:18:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 13
Words: 16,753
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17353649
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bbobohuhu/pseuds/bbobohuhu
Summary: "Chanyeol, what is going o-""Baek, get down!" Chanyeol screams. His eyes are wide as he jumps towards me.Scream, scream, scream, scream.BOOMAfter a nuclear bomb destroys a majority of the Korean continent, two boyfriends, Chanyeol and Baekhyun, stick together against all odds as all the survivors fight to stay alive. When the radiation begins turning the remaining population into savage mutants, the boyfriends do all they can to avoid ending up like the rest of them. Baekhyun starts having weird symbolic dreams, and Chanyeol attempts to put his medical knowledge to good use. Fighting against death, uncertainty, loss, and corruption, the boys face more than they'd ever imagine.





	1. prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Hi, I'm bbobohuhu and this is my first fanfiction that I'm posting! The original plot for this story is a scifi story I wrote about for a school project a couple years ago, and I decided to edit it to fit the context of Chanbaek. This will most likely be a short-ish story to start off with before writing more detailed fics in the future! Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy!
> 
>  
> 
> Title: Look Ahead
> 
> Pairing: Park Chanyeol and Byun Baekhyun (Chanbaek)
> 
> Genre: Scifi, Apocalypse, Fanfiction
> 
> Rating: PG-13. Contains strong language, and some intense scenes. 
> 
>  
> 
> DISCLAIMER:  
> This is purely a work of fiction. I do not own any of the Exo members used in this work. They are just characters and are not based off of reality.
> 
>  
> 
> Please ask for permission if you would like to translate, repost, or make any adaptations to this story. You can always post me a message or DM me on Twitter, Instagram, or Wattpad @ the same username. I work hard on my works and want to make sure they are being put out how I think is best. Thank you for understanding!
> 
>  
> 
> ALL RIGHTS TO THIS WORK BELONG TO ME. IF I SEE THAT ANYONE IS STEALING OR INFRINGING COPYRIGHT ON ANY OF MY WORKS, I WILL KINDLY ASK YOU TO REMOVE IT. IF INSTRUCTIONS ARE NOT FOLLOWED, I WILL REPORT YOU.

I cover my ears with my hands as the siren pierces my eardrums. My legs pound in front of me fast and hard; my breaths get heavier and heavier.

"This is the government of the Republic of Korea. Everyone remain calm. This is not a drill. Proceed to the shelter in an orderly fashion. This is the government of the Republic of Korea. Everyone remain calm..." The voice on the speaker repeats over and over again. People are screaming, running, pushing, hurrying.

My whole body trembles in fear.

"Baek! Baek!" I stop and turn my head to make eye contact with my boyfriend before uncovering my ears.

"Yeol-ah!" I scream.

"Baek, go! Get to the shelter!"

There's a high pitched noise. I cover my ears once again.

"What about the hyungs?" I yell. My eyes burn and I squint to keep my vision focused.

"They're helping the others. Just go, Baek! I'm right behind you." The noise is getting higher; louder. "Hurry...GO!" I take off. The shelter is getting closer.

The noise is deafening. More screams. More people. More running. Large men in bright orange bodysuits help people through the shelter's entrance. I stop and close my eyes as adrenaline burns through my bloodstream. My heart pounds in my chest, my ears ring and scream, and I don't know what to do. I feel myself being pushed forward.

"Oh my God! Close the door, NOW! Hurry-" A man's voice yells from behind. The screams get louder. I open my eyes after a few seconds that felt like minutes. I am safe now, but people are pushing to get in; terror in their faces as the door starts to close.

"Chanyeol, what is going o-"

"Baek, get down!" Chanyeol screams. His eyes are wide as he jumps towards me.

Scream, scream, scream, scream.

BOOM


	2. scene i

The small crack of light pierces my eyes like a knife as the shelter door is being opened. After ten days in near darkness, my eyes hurt at the smallest of light. The shelter entrance is packed with the hundreds of people who long to see the world again. We all shield our eyes as the light pours more and more into the room. The crowd gasps in unison when the world beyond us is finally revealed. Chanyeol grabs my hand and gives it a light squeeze, which is his way of letting me know that he's here and he's sticking with me. I pull my body closer to him.

"Holy fucking shit..." Chanyeol whispers in disbelief. The crowd in front of me blocks my view, and I jump up onto my toes, using my tall boyfriend for stability, catching a quick glimpse of what awaits me. I stand still and my heart drops.

I'm speechless.

We all are. After seconds of the silence and disbelief of people trying to fathom what's in front of them, the crowd slowly start exiting. I follow the flow, drifting towards the world ahead, refusing to let go of my boyfriend's hand. I move a few steps more, and before my body makes its way through the exit, a blood curdling scream pierces the silence like glass on a tile floor. My whole body jumps and chills radiate from my center. I instinctively press into Chanyeol's large body.

"Yoojeong! Yoojeong-ah, my baby!" A woman screams. I let go of Chanyeol and quicken my pace to see what is happening. I take my first step outside onto the gravel and my body comes to a halt. I'm frozen.

Everything is dead.

What used to be plants, flowers, and trees is now a field of dirt and rock. Small flames consume patches of dead leaves and grass. Smoke-filled fog covers the brown sky. Bodies lay distorted and lifeless, scattered across the earth. As reality sinks in, people being to cry, run, scream, and kneel by their dead loved ones. I stand for a good while - only God knows how long - with my boyfriend close to me. He takes my hand once again and we walk, exploring our now unrecognizable world.

My breaths slow and my senses blur. All I can see are the bodies upon bodies whose lifeless faces stare deep into my soul; all I can hear are the screams and wails of their families and friends who never got to say goodbye, mixed with the harsh pounding of my heartbeat. My head spins. I look deeper into the faces of the bodies. Terror lays in the expression of each one, making the hairs on my body stand.

Chanyeol gasps and covers his mouth with his hand. Curious of his sudden reaction, I turn to look at him, before following his gaze. My stomach drops at the sight of what lays in front of me. Fuck. I am going to be fucking sick. Chanyeol falls to his knees and I can see the tears building in his eyes.

"H-hyung..." I whisper in shock.

"No!" Chanyeol screams, his voice rough with sobs. "No!" I stare into the wide eyes of Minseokie-hyung, who lays dead. His skin is pale, burns and dried blood being the only hints of color remaining on his body. He lays completely still, flat on his back, his mouth slightly open and his lifeless eyes filled not with fear, but peace and contentment. All of the brightness and happiness that I've known within my beloved Hyung, is now drained out to become the lifeless corpse in front of me, filled with nothing more than those emotions that remain lingering in his eyes.

I drop next to my boyfriend and bury my face in his shoulder as the tears start to fall.

Minseok was the closest thing to a real brother Chanyeol and I ever had. He practically raised us. He and Chanyeol's family were close due to their collaborations in the medical field. However, after an experiment-gone-wrong killed both of their parents, Minseok took Chanyeol in as a brother. Eventually Minseok continued his parents' legacy in the medical field, and his efforts granted him the highest position in governmental medicine in the country. He mentored Chanyeol as often as time allowed, just in case, as he always put it, "If you ever need to keep yourself safe; if for whatever reason I'm not here, I need to make sure you'll be okay on your own."

As for me, I've been an orphan for as long as I can remember. I don't know who my parents are or what happened to them, and I guess I've never really felt like I've missed them. One day I caught a bad case of the flu, and the orphanage sent me away to the medical institute to get cured. That's where I met Minseok and Chanyeol. Minseok used me to train Chanyeol in medicine. Because of that, he spent a lot of time around me, and it didn't take long for us to fall in love. After I was completely cured, Minseok took me in and the three of us have been able to live under the safety of the government thanks to him. Chanyeol and I just assumed that he'd be with the president, somewhere safe. I know Mr. President would've tried to keep his most treasured doctor safe. Minseok probably begged to come and help, pleading that it's his duty to put his people first. That fucking bastard died because he couldn't put himself first for once.

Chanyeol and I remain next to our beloved hyung's body for minutes, wrapped in each other's arms, letting all of the tears and sadness flow out from us. When neither of us have anything left to cry out, we take one last look at him.

"We really should go." Chanyeol whispers, saying the first words either of us has spoken since minutes ago. I nod slowly in agreement. I turn my body and walk away from the body, reaching for the comfort of my boyfriend's hand. "Wait." He says, before running back to the body and taking something off of his clothes. He hands the object to me. It's the name tag. 

Kim Minseok  
Chief of the Medical Services Association of the Republic of Korea (MSARK) 

I put the precious object in my pocket and take a deep sigh. I take my boyfriend's hand once again and we walk, to nowhere in particular, in order to try to fathom what is happening.

"Baekhyun, look at me." We stop walking and I obey his request.

"Yeollie?"

"Now that he's gone, we have to stick together. It's just me and you. You're not gonna like me saying this, but I'm going to protect you. I'm going to do all I fucking can to keep you alive. I'm not gonna let anything hur-"

"Don't say that. We are going to protect each other. We are going to keep each other alive. Don't act like I'm worth any more than you. You're all I have, Chanyeol." I sigh, and a slight frown forms across my boyfriend's lips.

"I know. But Minseokie-hyung always trusted me with everything. He did all he could to protect us and keep us safe. I can't help but feel like it's my responsibility to carry on what he did. It's the least I could do to repay him. Just agree to make me feel better. Okay, Baek?" Sadness lingers in his usual confident and strong voice, and he stares at me with sad, yet loving eyes. I nod my head. "I love you, my Baekhyunie."

"I love you t-"

A loud sound explodes from the sky, silencing my currently weak voice. Everyone looks up, and a helicopter descends from the fog.

"This is the government of the Republic of Korea. Make way for the descending air vehicle. Warning..." A speaker repeats from the aircraft. People follow the given instructions until a giant circle is clear for landing, and within a minute, the helicopter makes it's way to the ground. Two big men in black suits step out of the helicopter before turning around to help a middle aged man out of the craft.

"I am President Park Jaeshin of the Republic of Korea. I am here to inform that you all have survived the final nuclear bombing of the Third World War."


	3. scene ii

I look down at the destroyed earth from the helicopter window. Chanyeol sits next to me, sleeping with his head against the wall. President Jaeshin sits in front of me, along with his two bodyguards and the pilot. Because of Minseok's close relationship with the president, he took us along with him back to the Headquarters where all the survivors are gathering. Everyone else was brought back on public busses. Despite the confusion and shock of the current situation, it's comforting to know that Chanyeol and I have the consideration of the president on our side. I regret not showing Hyung how much I actually appreciated and respected all he's done for me, because this is all thanks to him.

I take a deep breath to clear out any negative thoughts, in search for some temporary peace. The only sound to be heard is the propeller spinning on above us. I lean my head on my boyfriend's shoulder and close my eyes.

"I'm very sorry for your loss." President Jaeshin finally breaks the silence. Chanyeol wakes up from his light sleep and slowly lifts his head to look at the president. "You know Dr. Minseok meant a lot me as well. Not only was he a highly-regarded VIP in the medical field, but he was also a very good friend of mine. I just want you to know that I send out my condolences to both of you, and my respects out to him as well." Chanyeol and I remain silent, not knowing what to say. I can feel Chanyeol give his head a single nod. "We will be to the Headquarters soon, so make sure you're ready."

"Yes, sir." Chanyeol responds.

The aircraft begins to descend as the Headquarters become visible ahead. The buildings around this area don't seem to be impacted as much as the rest of the world. Buildings are partly destroyed and knocked down. Trees are fallen and plantation is wilted or dead, but still existent. The sky is clearer, and a few sunbeams highlight the district below. The Headquarter Building stands strong, clear, and seemingly untouched.

We land fast and smooth at an open area near the Headquarter Building, none of us speaking another word. President Jaeshin, followed by Chanyeol, and finally myself, are escorted from the helicopter with the help of the bodyguards. Chanyeol and I are taken by more government employees in orange suits like those who helped us back at the shelter, and they lead us to a large group of people who stand in the open space. President Jaeshin is led to a podium with a voice magnifier.

"Ladies and gentlemen, as you are more than likely aware, most homes and communities were destroyed by the nuclear explosions." Immediately, an angry outburst of voices fill the air as people in the crowd start yelling.

"This could have been prevented!"

"My husband wouldn't be dead if you had warned us!"

"You should've tried for peace! Now everything is destroyed!"

"Calm down! Everybody please remain calm!" President Jaeshin yells. The crowd gradually returns to silence. "I am here to help you." People start to yell again, but he continues anyway, and the crowd settles down once again. "As the president of my people —as your president — I cannot express to you the pain in my heart at the event that took place here. It is my job to keep you safe, and I have failed in my duty to do so. I am here right now to do all that I can to help and repay my mistakes. I ask that you all please try to understand."

The crowd remains composed, and a satisfied smile spreads on the president's face. "Thank you. Now, underground emergency residences are being prepared for all of you. Right now, I need everyone to remain in an orderly fashion and make sure to stick with your families." Chanyeol places his arm around my waist and pulls me close to his side. I return the action, and allow myself to drown in the comfort of my lover's body being here amidst the chaos.

The crowd around me shifts and moves to follow the instructions. A loud noise interrupts from behind. Everyone turns. Large military vehicles drive up to the area.

"Staying with your group and remaining calm and organized, find your way into a transportation vehicle." President Jaeshin continues. Military women and men exit the vehicles and help to manage the crowd. "More instructions will be given at the destination. Thank you all for your cooperation." He leaves the podium and I watch as he enters the helicopter again. Someone shoves me forward, breaking my grasp from Chanyeol. 

"Boy, where's your family?" A large - and quite ugly - military woman asks with a deep, rough voice. She has a large, dark scar on her right cheek. I quickly fix my grasp on Chanyeol before answering.

"J-just him." My voice is stuttery and breathy. I'm not afraid, but the intensity of the whole situation is a bit overwhelming. Chanyeol notices the tone in my voice, and he lightly rubs the side of my waist comfortingly.

"Alright, you two go to that line." The woman commands as she points to the line she's referring to.

"Yes, ma'am." Chanyeol says and bows his head politely, then we walk to our place. We stand in line, still holding onto each other, and wait to enter the vehicle.

"Yeollie, what do you think is going to happen? What now?" I look up to stare into my boyfriend's beagle eyes that I love so much. He sighs.

"I don't know. I don't know if anyone does. But I do know that whatever the president might be keeping from us, it's all for good reason. You know that too." I nod. "I also know," he continues, and I can see him holding back his smile. "That you're trying to hide the fact that you're trying not to shit yourself right now, scaredy-cat." He finally allows his big cheesy grin to spread across his face. My mouth opens in defense.

"Says you!"

"Me? What about me?" My boyfriend asks, smile still plastered big and clear.

"Don't act so tough, big guy. Remember when a spider crawled across your foot when we played baseball together, and you screamed and ran all the way across the field. Oh, and the first day Minseokie-hyung trained you, when he forced you to touch a syringe for the first time and you cried your fucking eyes out." I let out a few chuckles at the memory.

"I thought you were sleeping!" Chanyeol protests.

"Yeah, you thought I was sleeping." Both boys burst into laughter, and the weight of the moment temporarily evaporates.

We didn't even realize how far up the line we moved up, and our laughter is interrupted by a military medic upon entering the vehicle.

"Names and ages?" The man commands.

"Park Chanyeol, 24 years old."

"Byun Baekhyun, 21 years old." I say, following the format and tone of my boyfriend. The man nods and enters the information into a strange looking device.

"Okay. Stand still." The man commands. Then, he pulls out two syringes and quickly injects them in our arms. "You're good to go." Chanyeol and I follow instructions and enter the vehicle. We travel to the back of the bus and sit beside each other in an open spot.

"I admit. I used to be a pussy." Chanyeol continues our previous conversation.

"Yeah. I'm not particularly courageous or anything, but you were weaker than me." I chuckle and move my mouth up to his ear so I can whisper, "You still are." He hits me playfully and I burst into laughter again.

"Not anymore." He says, his steady tone brings back all seriousness. "I have to be strong now. For you. For Minseokie-hyung. For us."

"For you, too. And I'm going to be strong as well. We are here for each other and we are in this together. Neither of us are stupid. We'll be alright." I place my hand on his thigh and rub it with my thumb comfortingly. He smiles at me and nods before taking my hand in his own. He opens his mouth to speak, but a sudden commotion from outside causes both of our attention to turn.

"Help! Help me! My son has fallen!" A woman yells. On the ground next to her lays a young boy, who appears to be maybe 9 or 10 years old. I put my face close to the window to look at the situation clearly. The boy appears to be struggling to breath and in a lot of pain. It seems he has no control of his body, which twitches intensely. He grasps his throat with both of his hands and he bursts into coughs, lungs making a deep growl-like sound that almost makes it hard for me to breathe. When the coughs start to subside, he vomits onto the ground beside him. The boy unbuttons his shirt in agony, revealing the many red burns that cover his skin.

Military medics run over to the boy, eventually surrounding him and blocking him from anyone's view. The boy's mother still screams for help and grips at one of the medics in an attempt to see her son. A government employee forces her away, and begins dragging her against her resistance into a separate vehicle. Other employees signal at the vehicle drivers to quickly head off, with a hint of panic in their expressions. I almost fly out of my seat at the sudden movement as we begin forward. Static blares from the sound system above us.

"Due to an incident, we were instructed for an early departure. We will arrive at our destination soon. We apologize for any inconveniences. Please remain in your seats, stay calm, and wait for further notice."

The sound and the static cuts out, and mumbles of confused passengers echo through the vehicle. Shocked expressions sit on their faces at what they just witnessed. I turn to lock eyes with my boyfriend, who's expression matches those of the others surrounding us.

"What the actual fuck was that?" He asks.


	4. scene iii

I wake up to the feeling of my shoulder being shaken and the sound of my boyfriend's whispers.

"Baekhyunnie, wake up. We're here." I open my eyes and sit upright from leaning against the vehicle window. I turn my head groggily towards my boyfriend, causing him to crack a couple chuckles. "C'mon, sleepyhead." He laughs, reaching his hand out to wipe some drool off my lip. He gives me a quick peck on the lips with his own before continuing. "Let's go."

Chanyeol and I get up from our seat and follow the flow of passengers towards the vehicle exit, our hands intertwined together like usual. After a few seconds, we reach the exit and step outside, once again joining the large group of survivors. A government employee stands outside each vehicle, attempting to keep everyone organized.

"Stick to your family at all times. Stay in line behind the person in front of you. Wait for more instructions once everyone safely gathers in the main residency building." The man at our vehicle says. Everyone follows directions smoothly and without protest, and before too many minutes pass, we safely wait in the residency building. Chanyeol and I make sure we stick as close together as possible.

"We just need to follow instructions. If for any reason we get separated, always make sure to follow what they say." Chanyeol says, the first thing any of us has spoken since he woke me up.

"No shit, Sherlock. I'm not asking for death now." I exclaim, trying to change the heavy uncertainty flooding the atmosphere. I shoot a playful grin and look at my boyfriend, who returns with a small yet soft smile.

"You know what I mean. Anyways, I'm sure the president will talk to us after everything gets more organized. We owe a lot to Minseokie-hyung." He says, keeping the mood serious. "This is all thanks to him." I can sense the slight sadness in his tone, and I nod in response to his words.

"Hey. I love you, Yeollie. And Hyung did too."

"I know. I love you too, Baek." Chanyeol leans down to place a kiss on my forehead, but stops when the room suddenly fills with pitch darkness.

"Attention! Attention! Everyone please quiet down!" A voice blares from the sky, which I immediately recognize as President Jaeshin's. The crowd quickly becomes silent, each one eager to know what happens next. A spotlight emits from the ceiling, drawing all attention to the president standing confidently at a podium at the back of the giant room.

"Everyone, before I continue with instruction, I want to address the incident that some of you may have witnessed earlier." The President clears his throat. "Unfortunately, an 8 year old boy by the name of Go Haejin is under medical care for extreme radiation poisoning." A few gasps emit from the crowd, and President Jaeshin quickly continues. "Do not panic! He is currently stable and his mother is safe with him. As for you all, follow my next directions carefully. You will all line up with your families behind the door to my left. As you pass, a service member will give you a packet with your residency room number, and a list of steps to take when you arrive at your rooms to ensure your safety. Service members will be spread throughout the area to answer any questions. Until further notice, thank you all for you cooperation." He bows his head and walks away from his spot. The crowd begins to shift.

"Radiation poisoning? Damn, they better be keeping their word about keeping us safe. Are they sure we'll survive here?" I hear a man next to me say to the woman beside him, who I assume is his wife. She holds a baby in her arms, and both adults have a look of nervousness and uncertainty in their expressions. I look around at the crowd that surrounds me, and notice the trend of confusion and fear that emits off them.

"C'mon, lets follow the line." Chanyeol says, and we begin to follow the flow of people headed to the doorway as instructed.

The room holding all of us is huge. I estimate that around 40,000 people total are surrounding me. I try not to let the thought that we could be the only survivors cross my mind.

Chanyeol and I managed to stay towards the front of the giant room, so it only takes a few minutes for us to reach the doorway. When our turn arrives, the man asks for our names - to which Chanyeol answers for he and I - and searches for our packet.

"Park Chanyeol and Byu- oh! I was instructed to send you off with President Jaeshin. Please give me a moment." The man says, and Chanyeol and I nod in unison. He picks up a communication device and speaks into it. "It's Dr. Minseok's boys. I need an assistant to send them to the president. Over."

"Copy. An assistant is on the way. Over." A voice responds from the device.

"Please walk straight down the hall and wait near that first door on the right side. An assistant is on the way." The man instructs, signaling his hand in the direction he wants us to go.

"Yes sir." My boyfriend bows his head towards the man, and I copy his actions, and we head towards our location. Not even ten seconds later, the door opens and a tall woman appears.

"You must be Mr. Byun and Mr. Park?" The woman says.

"Yes we are." I reply, putting on a friendly smile.

"Mr. President is waiting for you! Please follow me." She bows her head before opening the same door she came in from. Chanyeol and I return the gesture and follow her down a pristine hallway. A few meters down, we turn left at the end of the hall to reveal white double doors. "Mr. President is waiting inside." She opens one of the doors and signals for us to come through. Chanyeol and I bow our heads again as we pass by her, and once we pass completely through, the doors close behind us.

"I'm glad to see you've gotten here safe! Are you boys okay?" President Jaeshin happily exclaims.

"Yes, sir. There's a lot of people out there, but we are completely fine. However, Baekhyun here is a little scared. I'll need to sing the poor boy to sleep later." My boyfriend explains, causing me to give him a good secret pinch on his side. He and the president crack a few laughs, and I mutter under my breath, making sure I'm just loud enough for my boyfriend to hear me.

"I'm the one usually singing you to sleep, you ass."

"I made sure to give you guys the room closest to all of the important assets. The cafeteria, the medical center, storage, and the backup safety facility is just down the hall from your room. I'll have Mrs. Choi lead you there when we are finished here. When you arrive at your room, she will give you a device that you can use to alert her in case of any emergencies. She will respond immediately. It's the least I can do considering how much Dr. Minseok has done for us."

"Thank you, Mr. President." Chanyeol says. We both bow to him with our bodies in respect.

"Mr. Jaeshin will be fine. From now on I'll consider you family, like my sons!" Says the president, followed by a few happy laughs. Chanyeol and I nod our heads.

"Mr. Pr- Uh, Mr. Jaeshin?" My boyfriend asks.

"Yes, son?"

"Can I ask you a favor?"

"Anything."

"Is there any way I can help the medical team here? Y'know, even if it's just in emergencies or something. I know I'm not the best, but I need to repay all that Hyung has done for Baekhyun and I. He taught me when he had the chance to, so I'm sure I can be of help somewhere. With your permission of course, sir." Chanyeol explains. He bows his head until he hears a response.

"I don't want to ask you to have to work for me, but if you feel like it's your duty then I will graciously accept. I will have Mrs. Choi take you to the medical staff for training sometime between schedule tomorrow." Mr. Jaeshin smiles satisfactorily.

"Thank you, sir. For everything." My boyfriend bows to him once again, this time I decide to join him.

"Mrs. Choi will send you to your room now. When you arrive, everything should be there that you need. Make sure to follow the safety precautions in your packet. Feel free to call if you need anything." Mr. Jaeshin bows his head to us and we return the action. "Mrs. Choi is waiting for you outside this door. You are free to go." He signals towards a door on the right side of the room. Chanyeol and I follow his direction and leave the room. 

 

~~~

 

The door behind us closes, leaving Chanyeol and I standing at the entrance of our room. It's a small room, about the size of an average college dorm. The room is square shaped, with a twin sized bed in each of the 2 back corners of the room. Between the beds is a small desk with a digital clock and a piece of paper, and a chair placed in the spot meant for it. In the front left corner is a small dining table with 2 chairs, and on the right side of the room there's a door leading to the bathroom, which from what I can see just contains a simple sink, toilet, a standing shower, and a mirror.

"And here we are cooped up underground once again. At least we have some separation from everyone else. Maybe I can get a full night's sleep for once." Chanyeol says with a sigh. He walks across the room to the desk and places down the packet and the device Mrs. Choi gave us for emergencies. He rolls his sleeves up to his elbows and begins moving the desk out from between the beds. "First things first," he grunts, using his strength to move the piece of furniture. "I have to make sure I'm not sleeping three damn yards away from my boyfriend."

I smile when I realize his intentions, and I help to scoot one of the beds so that both beds are pushed together, making one large enough for the both of us to sleep close together. "Much better!" I say, dusting my hands off on my pants. Chanyeol moves the desk to the place where the bed was before, and after a few seconds of satisfaction at my work, I feel his strong arms wrap around my body from behind. I let out a small chuckle and turn my body around, still wrapped by his arms, to face his eyes.

"Hello, beautiful." He says softly and seductively. We stare lovingly into each other's eyes, and I smile lightly. He leans his head down and presses his lips into mine. We remain like this for a few seconds, making sure to get a good taste of each other after so many days. Once we both pull our lips away from the other's, we stare at each other once again. "Baek..."

"Mm?" I say, continuing my gaze deep onto my lover.

"TICKLE FIGHT!" Before I can react, I am swooped up onto my boyfriend's shoulder and tossed onto the bed, his big hands attacking my body with no time to prepare myself. I burst into a loud fit of ugly laughter, letting in big gasps of air every second or so.

"Ch- chany- stop- p-please!" I beg, sputtering out cackles between each word. "I'm gon- gonna p-pee!" At last, Chanyeol releases his grip on my body, ending my torture. My laughs gradually fade, leaving me exhausted and out of breath on the bed.

"Fuck you." I mutter, showing off my middle finger to my evil boyfriend, causing him to blare a big cheesy grin. "We are on the brink of extinction in a nuclear war and you decided it was a good idea to have a fucking tickle fight?"

"Hey, I miss having fun with my boyfriend and wanted to lighten the mood!" He protests. "Anyways, we should probably pay attention to this now." He picks up the packet he previously placed on the desk and opens the first page before reading the steps listed.

"Please carefully follow these procedures, yadadada, I don't give a shit. Oh, here. Step 1: Check for green light on air filtration control by the front door." I turn my head and take notice of the small green light. I give him a thumbs up and signal for him to continue.

"Okay, check that. Step 2: Be sure that each individual in your household takes a thorough shower. Step 3: Put on radiation safety suits. From now on these should be worn at all times. Suits should be located behind the bathroom door. Step 4: Check room for any disabled or broken objects. Check for any cracks, breaks, or holes in the ceiling or walls. Step 5: Alert an assistant if any issues are noticed. Place all belongings in a quarantine bag located in the desk drawer. Place bag outside front door to be picked up and cleaned. They will be returned to your door in the morning. Step 6: Please read the daily schedule located on your desk. For organization and safety purposes, your schedule will be expected to be followed unless any individual is given an official exception. Thank you."

"Well I don't think anything's broken." I say, peering around the room in search of any cracks that I didn't notice at first. I spot nothing. "Chanyeol, check the bathroom."

He nods at my command and quickly searches the bathroom. He returns after a few seconds and shakes his head. "Well we can check that off the list too." He walks over to the desk and pulls a medium sized plastic bag out of the drawer. "What belongings do you have, Baek?"

I pat myself around the areas of my pockets, feeling for any objects that I might be carrying. I remember the ring Chanyeol gave me for our anniversary and I take it off of my finger. I give one last feel in my pockets, and feel a small metal object in the breast pocket of my flannel. I take it out, and examine it.

"Just these." I say, lifting them up for my boyfriend to see. I slight pout forms in his bottom lip.

"Hm. Keep them here. I don't trust random assistants with that ring, nor Hyung's nametag. I'll wash it myself in the sink before I shower." He says, looking back and forth from the precious objects to my eyes. I nod, and place both objects on the table. "We'll have to get our clothes washed though, so put them in this bag after you shower. I'll go first."

I nod at his words once again, and smile at my boyfriend. He returns the expression before turning around, walking into the bathroom, and closing the door behind him.


	5. scene iv

I lay in the uncomfortable bed of my room after our first full day of following schedule. Chanyeol lays next to me, arms wrapped around my smaller body, his breaths slow and warm on the back of my neck. I look at the clock nearby that reads 12:42 am. Despite the exhaustion I feel after a long day, my brain keeps me awake. I repeat the schedule over and over in my head in hopes of finding sleep. 

 

6:00 AM: Wake up.

6:15 AM: Pick up clean radiation suits from service members. Return suits and bedding from the day before to be cleaned.

6:45 AM: Take morning showers and other hygienic needs.

7:30 AM: Breakfast.

8:00 AM: Meet in main hall for headcount

8:30 AM: Health check ups. This is when Mrs. Choi took Chanyeol for medical training.

9:00 AM: Return to rooms and use products provided to perform anti-radiation deep cleaning.

9:30 AM: Prepare for morning task.

9:45 AM: Receive daily assignment from service member and proceed to follow. Today, I had dish duty in the kitchen.

12:00 PM: Lunch. This is when Chanyeol joined me again for the rest of the day.

12:30 PM: Return to rooms and prepare for afternoon tasks.

1:00 PM: Return to daily assignment. This time, I did the lunch dishes, and this time, Chanyeol did it with me.

3:30 PM: Return to and stay in rooms while the area gets inspected. Important testing and quarantining will be taking place to ensure the safety of the air. During this time, Chanyeol and I talked about his medical training.

4:30 PM: Announcements and testing. If your name is called over the intercom during this time, please exit your rooms and an assistant will take you to your destination. If your name is not called, remain in your rooms until the next activity.

5:30 PM: Dinner

6:00 PM: Return to rooms and prepare for evening tasks.

6:15 PM: Return to daily assignment.

8:00 PM: Return to rooms.

8:15 PM: Take evening showers and other hygienic needs.

9:00 PM: Retrieve clean bedding from service members and make up your beds. Tidy anything in your rooms if necessary. Alert service members if any help is needed.

9:30 PM: Nighttime announcements, pledge, and message.

Please be prepared to repeat this process tomorrow. Thank you! 

My boyfriend readjusts his arms in his sleep, cuddling me tighter. I let out a slow deep breath, and my body finally slips into sleep. 

 

~~~~

 

The day starts off just as long and uneventful as yesterday. Chanyeol and I wake up to the annoying beeping of the alarm, we put out our dirty clothes and bedding in exchange for clean ones, shower, and head off to breakfast. We eat slightly over cooked toast and eggs, but since all of us can only eat at the designated meal times, no one cares enough to complain. Then we head off to headcount and medical checkups, Chanyeol leaves for training, and I go back to our room alone to clean. I receive my daily assignment, except instead of dish duty, today it's laundry duty, which I do until Chanyeol and I meet again for lunch. Today we eat a simple spicy ramen. We complete our afternoon task, then head to and stay in our rooms for inspection. Now 4:30 PM, the siren alerting everyone that announcements are starting blasts from the intercom.

"This is the Government of the Republic of Korea. Everybody please listen carefully to the following announcements." An automated voice says from the speaker above our door.

An old creepy song starts playing about the loyalty to our government, stating lyrics like, "Oh all what ye has done, we carry our hearts out to thee. Trust thy country like family, and thy country will trust me." It's some old folks song that was written by some Korean general hundreds of years ago. I've heard it so many times that I don't even notice the eeriness of the song anymore. The song finishes after a couple minutes, and the president's voice begins from the intercom.

"This is your president speaking. Thank you to everyone for following your schedules smoothly and completely. You all have exceeded my expectations and I hope that this will continue as the future progresses." President Jaeshin says, pausing before a change in topic. "Today's inspection results showed a small rise in radiation level, but we were able to safely clean up without any difficulties. Do not worry. However, in order to increase your protection of safety, our medical team experts and I will, from now on, require you to wear air-filtration masks at all times. These will be dropped off at front of your door in approximately 15 minutes."

The rest of the announcements remain the same as the day before. The president calls the daily list of names, which don't include Chanyeol or I, and gives his final notes of appreciation before hanging up, leaving that creepy song to play one more time before ending the announcements completely.

I turn to face my boyfriend, who sits down on a chair next to where I stand. He stands up and pushes the chair in under the table at the front of room. He walks over the bed and plops himself down on his back, spreading his arms out across it before sighing.

"I wonder how long this will go on, how long we'll have to stay here." He says. I walk over and lay next to him on top of one of his arms, causing him to scoop me up close to his side. We both stare up at the ceiling.

"I don't know, Yeol. But I hope it's not forever." I say. He sighs again and squeezes me even tighter with his arm.

"I'm tired, Baek. Let's stay like this for a minute." He mumbles tiredly. Even though I can't see his face, I know that he most likely closed his eyes. I smile and nod before closing my own.

I lay there comfortably absorbing as much of my sleeping boyfriend's warmth as I can while I rest my eyes, waiting a few more minutes until the air-filtration masks gets dropped off at our door. When the clock finally hits 5:00 PM, I creep out of my bed, making sure not to wake up my sleeping lover, and quietly open the door and pick up the objects waiting outside of it. Once back inside, I walk into the bathroom, giving me space to figure out how to use the new objects without disturbing Chanyeol. To my pleasant surprise, the masks are extremely simple to use, requiring it only to be adjusted around my mouth and nose and fastened around my head. I decide it's probably best to wake up my boyfriend so he can put his on as well, and I exit the bathroom.

"Wakey wakey." I sing as I walk towards the lovely sleeping figure on the bed. I smirk to myself as I carefully position myself on my boyfriend's stomach, my knees on each of his sides. I bounce my body on top of him and smack his man-titties playfully. "I said, wakey wakey, Mr. Park Chanyeol." I sing again, causing my boyfriend's eyes to snap open followed by a hard shove off his body. I laugh as a confused and groggy Chanyeol sits his body upright.

"You're fucking weird, Baek." He grumbles. I stick my tongue out at his remark before speaking.

"I picked up the air-filtration masks from outside. They're pretty easy to use. Look." I show him how to put on the mask and he follows my steps.

"How are we supposed to eat with this thing?" He asks as he fondles with the mask on his face.

"I don't know. Hm. Let me read the paper that came with it." I say, pulling out the paper from the same bag that the masks came in. I scan over it before finding the information I'm looking for. "It says here to only take them off while eating and showering."

"Ah, okay. Well, dinner's in 10 minutes. Let's head over early so we don't have to wait in line." Chanyeol suggests, and I nod in agreement.

"Sounds good! I'm starving." I say, reaching for my boyfriend's hand to hold. He accepts my gesture and we head for the cafeteria. I catch a strong whiff of beef stew the second we step out of our room. After only a few minutes, we get in line, get our food, and find a table to sit at. I watch my boyfriend take his first bite of stew before starting on my own.

"Finally some decent tasting food." Chanyeol exclaims. "The beef is cooked right and the vegetables blend well. It's good."

"We are all fighting for survival underground and you're analyzing veggie blends? And I'm the weird one?" I joke, causing both of us to laugh. Our laughter dies down and a few seconds of silence pass before I continue. "Anyways, how was training?"

"Good, I guess. It's only my second day so they're still teaching me how to use all the equipment and procedures and stuff. They won't give me any serious jobs yet until training is over and they said I have to wait before they tell me anything, whatever that means. Just the same shit as yesterday." He explains, taking a bite of stew between sentences. I nod as I swallow the bite of food in my mouth. Though he isn't saying it, I can sense some disappointment in my boyfriend's tone.

"They'll be using you real soon, Yeol. You're smarter than they know. Soon you'll get out there and do your thing and they'll be glad they let you help. You're Park Chanyeol, my Yeollie, who's smart and good at everything. There's nothing you need to worry about." I say and smile at him comfortingly. He returns the smile before finishing up his last bites of food.

"I love you, Baek." Chanyeol says after he finishes the last of his meal. Baekhyun looks up from his now empty bowl and smiles at his boyfriend's words.

"I love you too, Yeol." I return. I open my mouth again to speak, but a sudden bang and wave of gasps from behind us steal our attention.

"Jiseok? I need medics immediately! Someone help!" A man yells. I try to look at the commotion but can't see beyond the crowd of people surrounding the voice.

"Everybody please make way! Get out of the way!" A bunch of military medics start yelling as they burst into the room, rolling in a gurney by their side. People clear a way and I watch as the medics disappear into the crowd of people. More gasps and panicked voiced mixed with the commands of medics telling people to go back to their meals emit from the scene.

I turn my attention away from the commotion and look around me. Confused people and families sit at their tables, attentions turned towards the scene, wondering what could be happening. Mothers and fathers comfort their scared children and government employees run in and out of the room. I turned my attention back to the commotion, watching the medics run quickly out of sight as I catch a glimpse of the gasping, twitching, burned up body being carried away.


	6. scene v

I lay in the uncomfortable bed of my room for the eighth night in a row. Chanyeol sleeps next to me like always, his breaths slow and loud under the air filtration mask. I look at the clock nearby that reads 2:36 am. I let out a frustrated sigh. So much has happened; my thoughts have been keeping me awake lately.

Every day so far has been the same long, boring process of following the schedule and staying safe. Despite all of the efforts to keep radiation levels at bay, none of it seems to be working. It feels like by the day ten more people are being taken away by medics, coughing and puking and covered in those nasty burns. The President says the population lowers by three percent a day. Nothing has been able stop it.

Chanyeol has been working a lot lately. Ever since that man collapsed in the cafeteria, he's been helping out in the medical center as much as he can. The only times I get to see him is in the morning before he heads off and at night when he returns before sleep. Sometimes he'll join me for meals when he manages to get away for a bit, but that's been lessening as the days go by. Whenever I get to see him at the end of the day, he's too exhausted to stay up and talk to me. I really miss him.

There's been a lot of rumors and protests against the government about the war. Some people believe that President Jaeshin and the government is behind all of this and that they got involved in the war to prove that they're powerful enough against enemy countries. They blame him for murdering the earth and their families. Others just think that something could have been done to prevent this and are angry because they think the government didn't try to keep this from happening. The pacifists are angry because they believe the war shouldn't have occurred in the first place. Ironically enough, the pacifists are getting violent over anti-violence. I just do my best to stay out of everything.

During the times when my boyfriend manages to find a way to see me for a bit, he tries to keep me updated as much as he can. He told me that there's a lot going on that the public doesn't know about, in order to keep the chaos down amongst the people. He said that all of those people that got taken away from radiation poisoning never actually ended up surviving. Once they get taken back, they're held there and stabilized until they eventually die painlessly. When that little boy became the first victim, they did all they could to save him, until they realized the radiation was too strong and too reckless to heal. He said that the main goal now is to do the best we can to control the radiation levels in the air while keeping the public as calm as possible. As for the victims, they're kept on the down low as much as we are able. Everything now is about safety, prevention, and peace-keeping.

All of these nights of laying awake in bed have kept my thoughts well and alive. Despite the trust I have in the president, I can't help but feel uneasy. I have this gut feeling that something isn't what it seems; that something could go wrong any second. I've been having nightmares. Nothing ever makes sense yet, just weird voices in my head that get louder and louder until I wake up in a cold sweat. Chanyeol told me once that there's things even he doesn't know, that they won't tell him. They tell him it's because he's not experienced enough in his medical knowledge to understand, and due to the strictness on not letting any information that could cause more chaos leak, it's best that he only knows what he needs to. I understand, and so does he, but it's all these small things that pick at my thoughts in the strangest ways.

I escape from my mind back to reality, turning to face my boyfriend who sleeps deep and sound. I reach for a lock of his hair that covers his eyes and play with it lightly in my fingers. I take a deep breath and push the hair to the side out of his eyes, allowing me to admire the handsome face of my lover that my heart wishes didn't have to spend so much time away from him.

"I love you, my Yeollie." I whisper. A slight sadness suddenly washes over me. I've been so busy with schedules and routines and work that I realize I haven't even had the time to feel anything. "I miss you so fucking much. I miss Hyung so much. I know I would never let you hear me admit it, but I'm scared, Yeol." I stare at him for a few minutes before forcing any emotions away. I turn my body to face the other direction and close my eyes, attempting to clear out all the thoughts in my head. It doesn't take long before I finally fall asleep.

 

~~~~

 

I jolt awake at the sound of a loud banging on my door. A loud scream pierces from the other side. Chanyeol and I look at each other in confusion and panic.

"Help! Let me in! He's trying to get me! HELP!" A man screams. Chanyeol quickly runs over to the door and opens it, and the man charges into the room. "Close the door, NOW!" The man screams again, obviously horrified by something out there.

Chanyeol shoves the door shut, but before it can close to a click, something barges in and bites his arm. A loud yelp of pain escapes my boyfriend's mouth. "Fuck! Help me!"

My eyes widen in terror as my screaming boyfriend struggles to not be dragged away. I hurry towards the emergency device given to us by Mrs. Choi while the man picks up one of our chairs and begins swinging at the thing attacking my boyfriend.

"Get off of me!"

"Let! Him! Go!" The man swings between each word, and I frantically push the red button on the device as I scream for help. After a few long, agonizing seconds, I hear heavy footsteps and yelling from in the hall.

"Get the tranq!"

"He's got Dr. Minseok's boy!"

"Be very careful!"

"Ready weapons! Aim!"

"FIRE!"

CRACK

Silence.

"Sir, are you okay?" A woman asks. I run out the door, heart pounding and head spinning. Three soldiers stand with guns on their shoulders. One helps Chanyeol, another helps the man, and the other keeps an eye on the attacker.

"I'm fine. He got my arm pretty bad." Chanyeol says, breathing heavily. His hand squeezes his wound and he winces through his clenched teeth. A large open gash is obvious on his lower arm, lots of blood pouring out of it. The sight makes me nauseous.

"Chanyeol... Shit, Yeol." I say in worry. My thoughts scramble in my mind as I try to comprehend what just happened. "H- He tried to kill you!" I exclaim, large gasps of air entering and exiting my lungs in an attempt to catch my breath.

I look at the attacker, and a knot of shock chokes up throat. Its skin is pink and raw with no hair on its body. Blue and green veins visibly stick out grossly from inside its body. Dried blood falls from its ears, eyes, and mouth. It twitches from the stun of the tranquilizer and the hollow bloodshot eyes stare right into mine. My heartbeat pounds in my ears as a shudder ripples down my spine. My senses blur at the gruesome sight. I hold myself back from gagging.

"Oh my God." The man whispers in disbelief. Oh my God! Tha- That's my son!" He runs over to the inhuman body and kneels beside it.

"Stay away from it!" A soldier commands, quickly pulling the man away from the body.

"That's my son! He woke me up because he said he wasn't feeling well. Burns were appearing...he was in pain. The radiation had gotten to him. So I was getting ready to call someone up to help him. I turned around and he came at me and he just... started attacking me out of nowhere. He was- He is this!" He points to the creature. People are starting to exit their rooms to explore this disturbance, and they gasp and gag at the sight. "I yelled for help and I ran. He chased me, just growling and screaming at me." The man sobs. A soldier sees the growing audience and interrupts him from continuing.

"Inform Mr. President and call more medics. They're all coming with me."


	7. scene vi

Chanyeol and I are escorted back to our room by a medic.

"If you boys need anything, you know what to do. Will you be okay for the rest of the night?" The medic asks.

Chanyeol nods his head. "Yes, thank you. We'll be fine. Thanks for everything." He smiles and bows his head to the medic as a signal of thanks. I repeat his action. "I'll see you again tomorrow."

The medic bows his head in return and leaves the two of us alone. We both walk over to the bed and plop down tiredly. Chanyeol quickly scoops me in his arms, my head resting on his chest. I close my eyes and smile, focusing on the calming sound of his heart beat. He kisses the top of my head. We remain this way for a few calm minutes that we both need.

"Are you sure you should be working again tomorrow? You need to rest, Yeol." I say, turning our focus back to reality. Chanyeol sighs.

"I'm fine, Baek. It's just stitches. They gave me medicine so it doesn't hurt anymore. I'll be fine, don't worry, my baekhyunnie." He says before placing another kiss on my head. I move my head upwards to make eye contact with my lover.

"I just miss you, Yeollie. I really fucking miss you."

"I know. I miss you too, Baek. There's no choice. I'm needed; everyone is needed so we can get all this shit to stop. As soon as this is over, it'll just be me and you forever. I'm gonna marry you and nothing will ever separate us again. Okay?" Still looking into his eyes, I give him a soft smile and nod. I move my head back into its previous position on his chest and close my eyes to the sound of his heart beat once again.

"Do you know why I believe you, Yeol?" I whisper.

"Why?"

"Because your heart is beating. For all the time that I've known you while your heart has been beating like this, you've always been the strong Chanyeol who does everything he can to keep his promises. The Chanyeol who took me in and always stayed by my side despite all the shit we've been through and the shit I've put you through. You're alive, and I am, too. Minseokkie-hyung doesn't have that privilege anymore. Or that little boy by the busses or that man in the cafeteria, or any of those other people who didn't make it. What matters is that we are still alive and we are alive together. I trust you." I explain.

"God, I love you, Baek." Chanyeol says, moving one of his arms temporarily to move my head back up to look at him. He leans his neck down and meets his lips against mine passionately. I readjust my position, making sure not to break the seal between our lips, so that I can better return the passion given to me. He slips his tongue into my mouth and I submit to the action, taking in all that my boyfriend is giving me. Seconds pass of us getting the taste of each other we've both missed, making sure to hold this moment long enough to forget the world for just a little bit.

After a good minute that didn't last long enough, we separate our lips from each other. We stare into each other's eyes lovingly and smile before returning to our previous position in his arms. I drown myself in his warmth and close my eyes.

"I love you too, Yeollie."

"Lets go to sleep now." He whispers. "Just like this." I nod slowly and quickly drift into sleep.

 

~~

 

Nowhere is safe anymore. Outside, the radiation is too high. Inside, there's dangerous protesters and The Others. The Others, that's what we call the people who end up like that man's son. Those inhuman creatures. No one really knows why they turn out that way or how. All we know is that it's the radiations loophole into not killing them. No one knows what happens to them either. After the change, they get taken away by some medics, to who knows where. Chanyeol told me they won't even tell him anything about it, because of "safety".

More rumors start to spread, people grow angrier by the hour, and protests are becoming dangerous.

"All the government cares about is itself!"

"If only we had a say in this, my family wouldn't be dead!"

"You don't even have the audacity to respond to us and you think you're a good leader?!"

Chanyeol and I stay out of it. We owe a lot to President Jaeshin, the least we can do is continue to trust him. It must be hard for him, too, having to deal with the angry public, the chaos of the radiation and The Others, as well as the tensions of the war. If there's anything he's not telling us, it's because he can't. Politics can't always be easy, right?"

However, I understand the public too. I can't blame them for being angry and scared. They've lost their families and don't have a straight answer why. Everything right now is a shithole of chaotic mess. Chanyeol and I just try to protect ourselves.

The day Chanyeol returned to do medical work after getting his stitches, I begged the medics to let me do some volunteer work there. I don't have any medical knowledge, but I know help is needed. I told them I could help clean up and organize, and eventually they agreed. Today is my second day of helping them out.

"I'm drained. I don't know how much more of this I can take. You can go to dinner without me, Baek. I'm going to go to sleep early." Chanyeol tells me when we step into our room after another long day. Protesters' yells echo down the hall.

I sigh. "I don't want to eat another meal alone. I'm staying with you."

"Okay." Chanyeol whispers as he lays down on the bed. His breaths are slow and heavy. His face looks exhausted and flushed.

"Yeol, are you feeling okay? You don't look too well..." I ask with worry.

"Just exhausted, Baek. That's all. I need to shower." He gets up from the bed and rubs the back of his neck. "Thank you for helping us out these past two days. You're the best." He smiles at me before gathering his things to shower. He walks into the bathroom and closes the door behind him.

I plop down on the bed and sigh. Feelings of uncertainty flood the atmosphere. No matter how hard I try to shake the feeling off, something doesn't seem right. I curl up into a ball and close my eyes as I wait for my boyfriend, attempting to find an escape from all the negativity for as long as I can. Before Chanyeol finishes his shower, my mind drifts off into sleep.


	8. scene vii

A voice echoes through my mind and my vision is all a blur.

"If they only knew...If they only knew..." The unfamiliar voice repeats in a chant-like manner. A scene of medical tables with syringes and chemicals fades into sight. Doctors operate one of The Others, and on a table next to it lays a radiation poisoned woman. Black blood is being drawn from the creature, and the woman is hooked up to a strange machine. The voice begins to laugh, and a blurry figure walks into the room, causing the doctors to stop and salute.

"We are here to help...We are here to help..." The voice repeats before fading off, revealing a new scene.

Chanyeol and I walk hand in hand down a dark pathway that seems to go on forever. We laugh and talk like happy boyfriends should, when he suddenly stops dead in his tracks. I stand confused, looking at him, while he suddenly falls to the ground with his hands around his neck, gasping and coughing up blood. I watch in horror and yell for help, though no words escape my mouth. After a few long, traumatizing seconds, Chanyeol lays still and quiet. The voice laughs once again, and it echoes in my right ear through my brain. In my left ear, Chanyeol's voice faintly cries, "We're sticking together. I promise I'll never leave you..."

Everything becomes black and silent, and gradually the faint, awful wails of humans and Others slowly become audible. I try to cover my ears, but the noise continues to grow louder and louder in my head. I feel my heart rate increasing and my breaths getting heavier.

The scene suddenly changes back to the first one. The blurred figure gestures with its hands, and the doctors scramble back to work. The figure walks up and examines the bodies, nodding in approval. A man runs in with a device and types info into it.

"Stay out of this, Baek! This is my job! Stay out of this!" A loud whisper shocks my eardrums. The wailing and growling of The Other gets louder and scarier, and the doctors start to yell in fear. The creature on the operating table sits up quickly with a big snarl and throws his arms against the doctor in front of him, knocking him to the ground. The creature charges in my direction, grabs my shoulders, and shakes my body. I try to scream and I try to fight, but for some reason I can't, and my heart pounds and my thoughts scramble. My head throbs in pain.

"Baek!" A familiar voice begins to fade in. "Baek, please wake up!"

Reality hits me. I wake up and sit up in bed to Chanyeol shaking me. A sharp pain pierces my head, and I rub the spot with my hand. My vision clears and I focus my sight towards my boyfriend, who is pale and damp with sweat.

"Baek, something's wrong with m-" A burst of coughs interrupt his sentence. "Call the medics, now." He exclaims, tearing off his air mask and charging towards the bathroom. Just as he reaches the toilet, he starts choking and vomiting.

"Yeol!" I quickly run to the emergency button in a panic and press it. "Shit!' I repeat to myself in a whisper. I run to the washroom, wet a rag with cold water, and place it on Chanyeol's neck, who leans weakly over the toilet. Though he's stopped vomiting, coughs and gasps escape his lungs every few seconds. "Fuck, Yeol." I say, trying to hide the panic in my voice. "Medics are on the way, okay?" I rub his shoulder for comfort. After a few seconds of silence aside from my boyfriend's coughs, there's a knock on the door. I leave his side to run up and open it.

"Chanyeol is sick! He's in the bathroom!" I tell the medics.

"Okay, son. Remain calm. We'll take care of this." One of the medics says while the rest go to find Chanyeol. Within seconds, he is being carried out into the hall and placed in a gurney. I look at his big and strong body that doesn't look so big and strong now. An unusual mix of emotion settles through my body.

"Yeollie..." I say as I walk up to him. I reach for his hand.

"I'm sorry, but you can't come with us." A medic says, blocking my path to my boyfriend.

"He's my boyfriend!" I argue. "I don't have anyone else with me!"

"I understand, but we can't take the health risk. We'll let you see him when we are sure that he's safe and stable. Don't worry. If you don't want to be alone I can summon Mrs. Choi to stay with you at your request."

"No." I say, jaw clenched.

"Then go wash yourself and go back to sleep. We're gonna take care of him." Usually I would argue, but whatever emotion that's flooding my body and thoughts in this moment causes me to just nod my head in obedience. The medic pats my shoulder as they walk away with Chanyeol. When they are out of sight, I stand still and alone in a state of confusion and defeat. I sigh, walk back into the room, take a shower, and lay back in my half-empty bed.

I can't fall back asleep. Instead, I lay on my back and stare into the pitch black. A small pain lingers in my head, and I remember my dream. My skin tingles in fear and uncertainty as I flashback on the gruesome images and scary voices of that medical lab. The blurred figure of that person haunts my thoughts, and I struggle in not knowing who it is. Questions float through my mind as I wonder who the woman on the operating table was, what those doctors were doing to her, and why The Other was being operated on beside her. I question the voices too, asking who they belonged to and why they were saying those things.

I suddenly remember the scene with Chanyeol, and my heart sinks in my chest. The scene that played in dream and the scene that just occurred seem so similar. The coughing, the fainting; everything. A shiver crawls down my spine.

"What the fuck is happening? None of this should be fucking happening." I say out loud into the darkness.

My mind races with more and more thoughts that keep me up until the morning creeps up on me.


	9. scene viii

It's been three days and they still aren't letting me in the medical center at all to see Chanyeol. They tell me it's because he just needs rest and space so he can improve his condition, but I know that's complete bullshit. He's getting worse. I sneak in there sometimes when the medics change shifts and new ones come in. Every time I come and see him, he seems to be getting worse and worse.

I stare at him for the second time today, his face pale, eyes closed, and skin with burns starting to form. I don't know too much about medicine or anything else about this fucking shit storm that's going on, but I do know that if this continues, he might end up like the rest of the people who've ended up back in this room. Apparently, he's lucky to have even made it this far. I overheard a doctor say that he's developed a partial immunity to the radiation from working around the other patients for so long, which is why it's affecting him at a slower rate.

I take a good look at my boyfriend, for the third time today, and I feel sick to my stomach. For the first time in a long time, I feel a sense of utter fear and sadness, causing tears to fill in my eyes. I stare at his unconscious figure as the emotions flood through me. The moment is interrupted at the sound of the new shift of medics coming in, and I quickly sneak out and head back to my room.

I sluggishly walk towards my bed and plop into it with a sigh. I stare blankly up at the ceiling as tears threaten to spill down my face. I give up fighting my emotions and let the fear, uncertainty, confusion, and anger consume me. The tears in my eyes break through the barrier, and slowly begin spilling down my cheeks. I get lost in the feelings and thoughts that I've been pushing to the side for too long.

These past three days without Chanyeol have been hard and lonely. I always act like a tough guy; I always act like I can handle anything coming my way, but being without Chanyeol has made me realize how weak and scared I really am. I don't know what life is like without him in it. I rely on him for everything. If something happens to him, this damned routine will be the rest of my life, and I don't know if I can do it alone. And what if he changes to one of The Others? Who knows what the government will do to him? And what about everyone else? More than half of the people here are dead, and out of the survivors left, many are sick and dying. Families are living in pain, grief, and anger over the fact that nothing can save the people they love. I've been doing so well at staying calm and contained, but now I can't help but feel like everyone else.

I take a deep breath when I reach the point where I've cried everything out, and I let out another sigh. My eyes remain pasted on the blank, unchanging ceiling of our room. I close my eyes and wipe the wetness off my face before finally changing my position, turning onto my right side with my knees slightly bent, laying the way I usually do when I'm scooped up in my boyfriend's arms. I close my eyes and imagine him behind me, pretending to feel his chest pressed up behind my back and his arms squeezed tightly around my body. I pretend to feel his warm breaths in my hair at the top of my head. I imagine the mixed sound of his breathing mask and his heartbeat to the point where I can almost hear it.

My body jerks at the sudden beep of the clock (which it does every time it strikes an hour), waking my mind back up to reality. I groan and turn my body back onto my back, staring once again at the empty ceiling that represents the feelings trapped inside me. I stare for minutes, thinking and feeling absolutely nothing. A sudden headache creeps over my forehead, transforming the nothingness in my mind into thoughts that feed it. I start to reflect on everything again.

I've been having more dreams lately like the one from the other night. It's all vivid scenes of government offices, operating rooms, dying people, and The Others, yet somehow everything is still so blurred at the same time. I wake up with a throbbing headache every time it happens. Like the dream with Chanyeol, some things that I dream about seem to be coming true, or at least similar enough that its unsettling to think about. Two nights ago, I dreamt of angry protesters breaking through the entrance of the underground residencies. Yesterday, the government started allowing people to leave, due to the public's growing fear and anger of being trapped with The Others.

I sneaked onto one of the computers in the medical lab and did some research over what could be happening to me. Scientists call it precognitive dreaming, where you can see or predict the future within your dreams. No one really knows what causes it or how. I don't understand why this is happening. I don't know why it's me out of all people. Yet, for some reason I can't shake off the feeling that it's happening for a reason. In the midst of all this chaos, fear, and death, I seem to be okay, untouched from the poisonous world surrounding me. Hell, I feel like I'm the only fucking person who isn't dying or turning into a fucking creature. Then there's the fact that every dream seems to have some kind of meaning or connection to reality and the future. Maybe this all means something? Maybe it's a sign?

My thoughts switch back to Minseokie-hyung and Chanyeol. How he always said that he would do whatever he could to repay all that Hyung has done for us. How he would tell me that for as long as he's around, nothing will happen to me; that everything will be okay; that he'll try to do what he can to fix everything. He's always been the strong one. He's always been brave and determined to do what's right and keep his promises. Now look at him. But for some reason I'm okay? The small and weak me who relied on his boyfriend and his hyung more than he ever wanted to admit, is one of the only people who is truly okay. That has to mean something, right? 

I can't explain the sudden spike of energy running up through my body, or the adrenaline building up in my veins, or that feeling of readiness ready to spurt from inside of me, or that one thought appearing in bold letters straight in the center of my brain:

I'm going to fucking fix this.


	10. scene ix

Chanyeol hasn't been getting any better, and I have been on a roll these past few days to find a way to heal him. I've been doing more research on the lab computers about anything I can find on radiation. I've also been trying to interpret my dreams, which just keep getting more confusing, and I seem to never find an answer.

I hear the footsteps and voices of the third shift medics coming up the hallway, and I quickly log off of the computer and exit the room. I take one quick glance at Chanyeol's worsening figure, before taking off to the cafeteria for lunch. I don't eat my food, instead I pick at it with my chopsticks as I sit by myself and think.

I reflect on my dream from last night. The dream was a lot less vivid and clear than the others. Many scenes of small groups of people hiding, running, and sneaking around the vast, dead world flashed through my brain. Strange whispers of the word goodbye in many languages echoed in my brain. I zone out the world around me and put all of my focus into what the dream could mean.

Different ideas come up, but quickly get ruled out when things don't add up. I put down my chopsticks in frustration and sigh. I give up. I rub the back of my neck and stand up from my seat to throw my food away and head back to my room. Then it hits me:

I need to escape. I need to get everyone out of here.

It makes perfect sense. People running around in the open world for the first time after escaping this fucking place we've trapped in for too long. The word goodbye symbolizing leaving here for good. A satisfied smile creeps along my face at my realization, and I reach to grab my food tray.

Out of nowhere, someone clears their throat behind me. "Byun Baekhyun, we need you in the medical center ASAP." A familiar voice says. I turn my body around and make eye contact with a middle aged woman in a doctors uniform. Her nametag reads:

Lee Soojin  
Chief of the Medical Services Association of the Republic of Korea (MSARK)

She is Hyung's replacement.

"Y-yes ma'am." I stutter, shocked. She nods her head in approval and walks away. I follow her to the medical center as questions and confusion fill my mind. When I step into the room, my eyes make immediate contact with President Jaeshin. Three bodyguards stand in a line behind him, blocking my view of Chanyeol, who lies behind them.

"Byun Baekhyun, you're going to have to come with me. I have some news for you." President Jaeshin commands, voice more serious and almost robotic-like compared to the previous times he's talked to me. Something feels odd.

"With all due respect, sir, may I ask why?" I ask, confused at the seriousness flooding the atmosphere.

"Don't worry. I just need to talk to you privately. Please, come with me." He responds. I catch a glimpse of some commotion behind the body guards. Chanyeol's still body lays on a gurney, and he is being wheeled out of the room by medics wearing those orange body suits just like the ones they wore back at the underground shelter when the bomb hit us. Sudden panic washes over me at the sight.

"Wait, Chanyeol! Where are they taking him? Chanyeol!" I yell. The President curses under his breath. I try to make my way towards my boyfriend, but the guards will not let me through. "Please, Chanyeol! Just let me see him, I beg you!" I push and pull at one of the guards, hoping to get just one last look at my boyfriend.

"Shit, load it!"

"Do it!"

"Ready!"

"Fire!" 

Crack

A sharp pain penetrates through my neck. Darkness floods my senses.

Black.


	11. scene x

My senses kick back in, and I wake up in a strange room. I lift my head with my sore and tender neck and take a look around the area. Bodyguards stand in front of each entrance. I am sitting in a chair, arms strapped to the armrests. The President sits in front of me, smirking creepily upon seeing my waking.

"You're a very special boy, Byun." He says. His tone of voice sends shivers down my spine. A mix of fear, anger, and confusion pumps through my blood.

"Where's Chanyeol?" I demand.

"I'm here to talk about you, not him." He responds sharply. I open my mouth to object, but his pointed finger raising quickly to his lips signals that its safer to keep quiet. I slowly close my mouth and he nods at my actions before continuing.

"I know you have noticed some changes lately about yourself, correct?" He looks at me awaiting an answer. I stare at him, not saying a word. "Baekhyun, please. If you don't want you or your damned boyfriend to get hurt, you need to cooperate with me here." He says in a deep growl-like tone. I nod my head hesitantly.

I gulp before speaking. "H- How do you know that?"

"Oh, I know a lot more than you think."

"What do you mean?" I ask. The mix of emotions builds higher and higher. Questions fill my thoughts.

"Don't worry, I am here to explain everything. You just have to promise me that this stays between you and me, or else someone could end up hurt. I just..." His voice fades off and he hesitates before continuing, as if he's figuring out what to say next. "...really need your help."

I nod once again, not knowing what else to do. I hold back the urge to fight my way out of the chair and demand answers. Instead I sit quietly and calmly, trying my hardest to ignore the pressure of the emotions pulsating through my body.

President Jaeshin clears his throat. "It is a pretty obvious fact that my father was President before me, so, as a result, I have been involved with the politics of this country for quite awhile now. What isn't well known, however, is that this war has been planned to take place for awhile. Despite all the technological advances throughout the past hundred years, the knowledge the world has on radiation is quite lacking. It's been a recent goal of many countries to experiment with radiation, hoping to gain more knowledge and understanding to provide better safety of the public in future generations.

The tensions against our country has increased greatly through the past decade, and my goal as president is to achieve what my father could not: gain respect and power from the rest of the world. What better way to do that than provide the very knowledge those countries want?" I sit still in confusion and shock.

"The question I came to face was: How do we get that information? How can we successfully conduct an experiment that not only provides the knowledge we need, but also gains us the power I'm so desperately looking for? The answer I came up with: start a cyberwar with North Korea, the country with highest tensions against us, to hopefully lead up to a real war. Fortunately, the mission was a success, when they blasted us with the nuclear bomb providing us with the exact environment we needed to start testing. From there, things were simple, we just needed to get our tests subjects in action. So what did we do? When we brought everyone to the residencies, we gathered everyone's DNA, some basic information, and injected each of you. For some, it was only basic body fluid, but for others, we implanted a gene that was intended to cause radiation immunity. However, nothing turned out as planned after that. Even though, yes, they did become immune, they also became completely inhuman. You're the only one that reacted positively, Baek, and I am kindly asking that you please use your gift to help us." The president finally finishes talking, and a satisfied smile is plastered creepily across his once friendly face. I sit quietly in shock, trying to comprehend the information that was just given to me. As the words and reality finally sink in, the shock turns into rage.

"You're saying you planned this whole thing? This was all some fucking experiment?"

"Indeed. Clever, right, kid?" He responds, followed by a few chuckles that irritate my eardrums.

"All of the thousands of people dead; people's families and innocent lives! All for a motherfucking experiment?"

"This was all done to help you!" He objects.

"Fuck you, you bastard! Help me, my ass! The people suffered. The country fucking suffered!" I spit.

"Listen to me, you little shit! You don't understand the position we were in! We are desperate for power, and sometimes the extreme has to be done to get there."

"But what about the people? Do they not matter to you?"

"Fuck the people! It's always about the damn people, huh? They always think they know everything. They think they're so smart and know what's best for them. What bullshit! The people aren't always correct. The government has always kept things from the people, and it's always been to protect them, whether they understand it or not. Nothing has changed because of this." He retorts, face becoming red and expression booming.

"Protection? You think this is protection? That little boy at the busses, that man at the cafeteria, those thousands dead at the explosion site, and the thousands more killed in the aftermath. They were protected? This isn't for protection anymore. All of those people; Hyung - you're own fucking friend - is dead because of you!" I hold back tears as the thought of Hyung's dead distorted body flashes through my memory. I take a deep breath in attempts to calm myself before I continue.

"Chanyeol, the only fucking person I have left in my life is dying because of you! Because of this fucking experiment! Fuck you! Fuck your experiment! Fuck your power!" Despite the rage in my voice, tears flow from my eyes and stain my flushed cheeks. With a clenched jaw, balled fists, heavy breaths, and a glare of hatred and disgust, I stare into the The President's eyes. He keeps silent, and his face and body loosens, the booming expression and redness in his face fading away as if he wasn't booming with anger just seconds before. He rubs his forehead and sighs.

"Listen, kid. I told you this wasn't supposed to turn out this way. I want to fix this. I want to stop this. I want everything to end just as much as you do, but I can't do it alone. I need your help, Byun Baekhyun. I can't do this without you. I beg you, please help me." He begs with a soft tone I haven't heard since Chanyeol and I first entered the residencies.

I keep my tough gaze into his eyes and maintain a serious tone as I speak. "How can I trust you?" 

"Do you really have a choice? Either you refuse to help and watch your lover die in front of you along with everyone else hanging onto survival, or you can team up with me and we can find a way to stop this. Your choice." He throws a friendly smile in my direction, causing my stomach to churn in disgust. Tears continue to flow down my face, and dizziness begins to take over as I try to ponder everything at once.

"So tell me. Will you help me?" He asks once again, pleading with his eyes in a way that almost makes him feel trustworthy.

Never.

Between clenched teeth I spit out my final answer. "Fine."

I can't trust you.

"I'll help you."

You'll fucking regret this.


	12. scene xi

I stand at the entrance of my room after being escorted back by the guards. My left hand is balled into a tight fist, and my right hand holds the device given to me by President Jaeshin. Every time I have a dream, I'm supposed to write down every detail and interpretation of them I might have. The device will immediately record and send the information to the president for review and analyzation.

I stare blankly at the wall opposite of me, too full of shock and anger to have any thoughts. I take deep, heavy breaths, heart pounding, and muscles tense, with a thin layer of sweat covering my skin. Minutes pass of my brain attempting to process anything it can, and suddenly reality sinks in.

"Fuck..." I whisper to myself. The tension and anger in my body builds, and I repeat that word once again, loud and clear enough to begin the release of the feelings overflowing me.

"FUCK!"

I stomp over to the desk and slam the device harshly onto the hard surface. I pick up the chair and throw it angrily across the room with a yell. I run my arms through my hair as sobs build up a knot in my throat. Releasing another loud noise of frustration, I throw my body onto the bed. I don't hold anything back, kicking and punching at the mattress and pillows; yelling and sobbing and cursing into the dead, toxic air. Emptiness and coldness mixes with the anger inside of me, and when there's nothing left inside of me to release except the lingering emotions that no amount of screaming and flailing can removee, I lay flat on my back and cry. I cry not in anger like I was just seconds before, but I cry in loss, fear, and defeat. I cry for Hyung. I cry for Chanyeol. I cry for myself. I cry for those who stood no chance in the face of a selfish and corrupted system they were trained to trust. I cry until I no longer can.

I stand up wearily from my bed and walk over to the bathroom. I turn on the sink and take off my oxygen mask before rinsing my face with cold water. I look up to meet my reflection in the mirror. I observe my appearance: hair messy, eyes puffy, face red and flushed. I sigh at the sight. Byun Baekhyun, you're so fucking pathetic.

I turn the faucet off and don't even bother putting my mask back on, exiting the bathroom to meet the mess I made. I give myself time to recover, picking up my mess and tidying up the room I so recklessly destroyed just minutes before. After completing my task, I sit at the desk, picking up the device and fidgeting with it in my hands. With released emotions and a refreshed mindset, I try to think about everything again.

What would Chanyeol do? He would help, right? He would help like he's been doing since the beginning of this disaster, right? But then again, he never knew what President Jaeshin was scheming this whole time. Damnit. He always knew what to do. He should be the one in my place. I should be the one fucking dying, not him.

At a loss of ideas and lack of motivation to continue, I cross my arms on the desk in front of me and lay my head down onto them as comfortably as I can manage. I close my eyes, not resisting any of the tiredness taking over me. 

 

~~~~

 

"GO! ... GO! ... GO!" Chanyeols voice echoes from the distance. My vision is black and the only sense I can use is my hearing picking up that repeating word. "GO! ... GO!"

A small light appears in sight, gradually getting brighter and brighter until a scene can be distinguished. In a dark tunnel, a small dog runs on his little legs, exhausted yet determined to reach his destination. As the light becomes brighter, the end of the tunnel can be seen, revealing the outside world. Chanyeol's echoes continue, slowly fading out the closer the dog reaches the tunnel's exit.

Suddenly, the scene switches to an overhead view of the outside world. The view pans over different scenes. The underground shelter, dirt roads, dead earth, until it reaches The Headquarters, where the view suddenly stops, leaving me to stare down at it as I wait for what comes next. Static begins to fill my ears, and a second later that eerie government song plays from who knows where, audio distorted, making it creepier than the song already is on its own. The view remains unchanged as the entirety of the song plays. The end of the song finally completes, and the static in my ears dissipates. Suddenly the view begins panning again, this time quickly and sharply, leading somewhere miles away within this dead, vast world.

Here, everything doesn't seem as dead as before. Small patches of green grass pop up from the brown earth. A few insects fly through the sky and dig through the dirt. A bird tweets faintly in the distance. A small lit campfire sits calmly next to a boulder. My vision begins to lose focus, and all things in sight become just a blur of random colors in front of me. My ears begin to fill with sounds of cheers and applause that slowly get louder and louder in my head. A small text gradually fades into view in strong, bold letters:

방랑자 

 

~~~~

 

My eyes snap open at the stabbing sensation in my head. I move my hand to rub over the spot as my consciousness comes back to me. My thoughts immediately flash back to the dream that just took place, and a sudden revelation clicks within me. I quickly get up from my bed and scurry over to the desk.

Determined and excited, I grab the pen and paper from the desk drawer and begin writing. Taking no breaks or hesitation, I scribble down everything my brain is spitting out to me. When the final word makes its mark in front of my eyes, I slam the pen down onto the wooden surface and stand up from the chair, paper in hand. I examine my work and laugh in a mix of relief and satisfaction, staring at the two words at the top of the paper. Confidently, I read them out loud:

ESCAPE PLAN


	13. scene xii

It's been 6 months since I finally escaped that shit hole of a place. It was the night President Jaeshin revealed that everything was a fucking scheme for power; that I am just a fucking science experiment gone right. The fucking conclusion of a hypothesis seemingly unreasonable in the midst of a chaotic downfall. I realized that I didn't want to be a part of that. I couldn't allow myself to assist the same system that took everything from me and from the innocent people just like me.

Leaving behind some simple words, fitting into a disguise, and manipulating the schedule I knew all too well, the process was more a matter of will than difficulty. I already had the medical uniform from helping out every day, and with the strategy I had always used to sneak around the place, I put the shift exchange of government employees up for good purpose. With the president's device in hand, quick movements, and light steps, I ran and I ran until the exit was seconds in front of me. Headed towards the emergency medical employee door, I stopped to take one last look of goodbye to the man I love with all that my small body can. Tears filled my eyes and my chin quivered as a sob choked up in my throat. I let the last short moment sink into my brain, and building up all the strength and determination I needed to continue, I whispered those three words, "I love you," and took those final steps out into the world that is now unknown to me. As alarms go off and red lights flashed from inside, I huffed my lungs and pounded my legs until I was sure there was no hope in finding me. Announcing my last message to the world I just left behind, I pressed send on the device before throwing it to the ground and stomping it into the dirt.

"This is for them. Now go suck a fucking a dick."

Chanyeol was really the only thing holding me back. No matter how badly every part of me wanted to run and hide the second I realized that a life without Chanyeol was more than possible, the uncertainty of his fate without me there was enough to put a break to my determination. It wasn't until I realized that if Chanyeol could talk to me, he'd tell me to go; that he would want me to survive, because he'd do anything he could to make sure I was okay, that I knew I had to do this. With that thought in my head and anger running through my blood, I finally did.

Throughout the journey, I've crossed paths with some other people who made it too. Apparently, some others managed to escape just like me. Many are protesters, and some are government employees who's consciences couldn't handle all the evil and scheming of the president. No matter their reasons, they were all driven away by the same evil. They call themselves The Vagabonds, and they accepted me with open arms. They listened to my story and they shared theirs. They fed me and they helped me to survive, and now I try to do the same for them. We stick together, sneaking through the night and hiding ourselves from the eyes of others, merely living this life of survival together in this dark, vast world.

As for everything back at The Headquarters, I don't know what happened to anyone else. I don't know what happened to the few people who have managed to make it that far, The Others, the president, or Chanyeol. I don't know who's alive or if anyone even is alive. I don't know if the president succeeded or if his whole plan came crashing down. I can only try my best to forget it all.

I still have dreams, but they aren't as they used to be. As time goes on, the dreams become more and more of a blur. Some nights I don't dream at all. I can no longer make sense of them, and, quite frankly, I've stopped trying to. I tell myself that maybe whatever experiment caused this to happen is wearing off; that the farther I stray from the evil it originated from, the less that part of me is attached.

My life has become a series of nothingness, survival, and an endless number of questions. I often wonder why I'm still alive. That question kept me up at night and tore me up these past few months. But now, as life goes on, I'm beginning to see the calm in the storm, and maybe everything will be okay. Because I am alive. I am here. I don't know what I am going to do from now on, and I don't know if my existence means anything more than the fact that it's still here. But I'm alive. I made it through what many didn't and couldn't, and even though I lost the things that I considered to be my world, I fought against all odds, defied the laws of death, and I made it to a new one. I've achieved all that Chanyeol wanted for me, and after a long while of fighting against the guilt that pitted inside me, I realize that he would be proud. Hyung would be proud. And part of me is proud, too.

I've made it a goal of mine to always look ahead; to always be ready and determined to fight through anything the world pushes my way. Ive made it this far, and now it's my chance to live my life for those who lived their life for me.

For you, Hyung. For you Chanyeol, the love of my life.

**Author's Note:**

> You've made it to the end of Look Ahead! I know the story is very vague and definitely not the best, as this is mostly written for experimentation before I start writing better, more detailed works in the future. This story is still in editing, so hopefully in the short future I'll be able to touch some things up and fill in any plot holes. If you notice anything that needs to be edited or changed, please let me know!
> 
> Thank you to all who have read through the story and enjoyed (or not) it! Feel free to let me know what you think. If you're interested, follow me on Twitter and Instagram @ the same user. I make fanarts and edits along with my fics!
> 
> Please look forward to more ideas and stories in the future! Thank you guysss!!
> 
> \- Bbobohuhu


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